title: Elevated systemic interleukin-18 in multiple injured patients is not related to clinical outcome.
abstract: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pleiotropic proinflammatory cytokine with the ability to induce interferon-gamma production in T-helper cells type 1 and natural killer cells. To investigate the role of IL-18 after severe trauma we measured plasma levels of IL-18 in 229 multiple injured patients [mean age of 39 +/- 16 (range 11-81) years, injury severity score (ISS) of 31 +/- 10 (range 16-66) points; 55 women and 174 men] and correlated these with demographics, clinical course, and routine laboratory parameters. IL-18 plasma levels were significantly increased in polytraumatized patients compared to healthy donors (p < 0.001). Survivors presented significantly (p < 0.05) higher IL-18 plasma median values (n = 193, median 98 pg/mL) compared to nonsurvivors (n = 36, median 63 pg/mL). Patients >60 years old (n = 35) had significantly lower plasma levels of IL-18 (median 45 pg/mL) compared to younger ones (n = 194, median 92 pg/mL). In the subgroup of nonsurvivors (n = 12) elderly patients had the lowest plasma levels of IL-18 (median 45 pg/mL). Patients with an ISS >25 had significant higher IL-18 plasma levels compared to the group with an ISS <or=25 (p < 0.001). Our data demonstrate elevated plasma levels of IL-18 after severe trauma.
authors.affiliation: BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil GmbH, Department of Surgery, Bochum, Germany. Bernd.roetman@rub.de
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roetman
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schinkel
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wick
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frangen
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muhr
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Köller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D015847:Interleukin-4